GREAT quote...

"Would you want your sons to retrace your footprints this past week?"

Whoa...I just read that on Pastor Jim's blog...My answer this week would be YES!! I pray that I would be able to say that EVERY TIME...How about you!?!

Deja Vu

This Sunday is the last in our Deja Vu series...I look forward to preaching on Sunday...it seems that we have seasons where I am up there about 3 or 4 times in a couple of months but right now it has been maybe 2x's in the past 14 weeks...I AM ITCHING TO SPEAK!

Sunday my message will be a variation of a message I did in Goshen over 2 years ago...it is really cool how it fits RIGHT WHERE WE ARE in 2009...I am looking forward to the opportunity to share my heart...God is working!

Good verses!

"What shall we say then? Shall we go on sinning so grace may increase? BY NO MEANS! We died to sin, how can we live in it any longer?" (Romans 6: 1-2) Oh that is a good couple of verses...We don't sin so that grace may increase...we STOP SINNING because we looooooong to please our Savior! So...as I quoted a few days ago..."Above all else guard your hearts, for it is the wellspring of life." AMEN?!?!?!?! RUN FROM SIN...GUARD YOUR HEART...RUN TO GOD!!

THAT sounds like a formula for success!!

Monday Reflections

Amazing and CRAZY Sunday...The message was on "Knowing your weapons" talking about spiritual warfare...VERY GOOD message...POWERFUL! THE church needs to stand as one and say "I will commit to stand with you through the battle." That we will have each other's backs! Another key point was to remember that Satan's power is limited! He cannot read our minds...he cannot be everywhere at once...HE IS NOT GOD! Also, we need to use the weapons that we have...Prayer/Getting Dressed (Armor of God)/Angels. It was a great morning...LOVE OUR CHURCH and what God is doing in people!



The craziness came when my keys were dropped in a storm drain...AND it had our only car key that we have left on it!! 3 hours of looking...a pool cleaner...city workers...and ONE BIG TRUCK later we have them back! WHOA...crazy night!!

My Tri-athletes

Chloe and Jaden were at it again. Today was South Bend's Kid's Triathlon. The City does an OUTSTANDING job of running this event...hundreds of children and there were all done in 2 hours!

Chloe had two BIG accomplishments today...she finished 2 minutes faster than last year AND she ran the fun 1/2 mile without stopping...she has NEVER run a 1/2 mile straight, not even when we practiced for the triathlon. (Yes, my kids ASKED to practice, so it wasn't just competitive dad pushing them!!) I was sooooooooooooo proud of her.

Jaden did very well too...he was behind in his heat after the pool to bike transition, but he made up some ground while on the bike. In the next transition between the bike and run he made up ground and started the run even with another 2 boys. One of the boys was from the heat BEFORE him and the other in his heat. Jaden ended up WINNING his heat AND WINNING his age division by close to 15 seconds. The boys he was running with came in 2nd and 5th. HE WAS SWEATING after that run...it was fun! He shaved off 2 1/2 minutes off of his time from last year when he finished 3rd.

The bottom line...I am sooooooooooooooooooo proud of both of them...they both worked hard and practiced and it paid off!

First things first...

"Above all else guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." This verse doesn't say this is just something to think about...it says "ABOVE ALL ELSE..." Before you take care of your body...before you get more information in your head...before you pour out your life into other people..."GUARD YOUR HEART" WHY? Why is it that important..."For it is the wellspring of life." OH I LOVE FRESH WATER! So, if I am going to take care of my body...learn more about Jesus...learn more about my work...about parenting...and before I pour my life out into other people...I need to make sure that the water of my heart is FRESH water...STRAIGHT from the Spring of LIVING water! U WITH ME?!?!?!

Everyone...

"ABOVE ALL ELSE guard your heart,

for it is the wellspring of life."

Trials bring growth

I had lunch today with a couple that just returned from an internship in San Francisco helping the homeless. They were to be there for a year, but were cut short by not having enough finances. I LOVE THEIR SPIRIT THOUGH...although they are VERY disappointed that they had to leave, they truly believe that God used the time to train them and bring them back here for something...they are working through the something. And we can't wait to see what the something is!

You would have thought that my post from yesterday was written for them...BUT I hadn't talked at length with them yet...Meeting with them today, I could sense a depth to their relationship with Jesus and each other that wasn't there when they left...GOD MOVED in them...God changed and is changing them...some of it really hurt, but God moved.

I AM SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO proud of them...so proud of how they are handling coming back...AND I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE HOW GOD IS GOING TO USE THEM HERE!

What do you do?

How do you handle disappointment? When you have certain expectations and they are not met? How do you respond to that? Do you shrivel up and go hide in a corner? Do you cry? How do you respond?

I believe that people should admit when they are disappointed and not just act like nothing happened. People want to know the truth of how you feel, BUT that disappointment SHOULD NOT defeat you! If something is happening in your life that didn't meet your expectations...FIRST admit that! Don't ignore it! THEN...take it on as an opportunity and a challenge.

Too many people either ignore disappointments in their lives and do not learn from them OR they LIVE in the disappointments of their lives and don't look for the opportunities.

SO LET'S BE REAL! Admit when we are disappointed...when our expectations weren't met and then GET TO WORK and take the challenge head on to see what OPPORTUNITIES might come of it!

Monday Reflections...YES GOD!

THERE WERE 5 PEOPLE WHO PRAYED TO MAKE JESUS LORD OF THEIR LIVES YESTERDAY MORNING!!!! I just couldn't hold that back! We are in a Deja Vu series right now...our people voted on which messages they wanted to hear again from the past 2 years...yesterday was Pastor Rich speaking on "Knowing your enemy." He was nailing it and while I sat there listening to him I had this overwhelming feeling from God...down in my gut..."Tim, give people a chance to respond to me." So, Rich finished the message and I went up front...Jerimae came up too and I just said "play something easy." I knew he would nail it...then I laid it out there and Spirit opened up people's eyes...WOW!

When the Spirit calls you...when he asks you to do something...RESPOND...you'll be glad you did!

Camping

Yep...the Boucher's went camping this weekend and it stormed and then rained the next night too! We have camped 3 years in a row and had rain...thunder...lightning EVERY YEAR! The people we camped with from church were cursing my name!

BUT...we had a GREAT time anyway! I was soooooo encouraged to see so many people come and spend time together. Friendships are deepening at our church...it is so fun to watch. Great to see the youth have a good time...I love teenagers! One of them pushed me into the pool! Good to swallow some pool water!!

My kids are EXHAUSTED...they played and played and played! Good times!

HEY...I cannot wait for tomorrow morning...I love this church and love celebrating God with them!

Monday Reflections...Undone

There I stood...announcements were over...Jerimae walked to the mic...he asked us to pray silently...to pray for God to open our eyes...to pray for forgiveness...to focus our minds and hearts on Jesus, because that is why we gather...Tears are forming in my eyes as I type... yesterday morning left me completely Undone...during our worship time I was crying...crying out to God to change my life...to make ME the man HE wants. Guys...it was amazing...it was gut-wrenching...Our worship team lead me in worship...They, with the Spirit working through them, left me at the end of the music Undone...they took me to the presence of Jesus...THAT is CHURCH...I needed that time...My heart needed the challenge...needed to cry out to God...THANKS GUYS for being used by God...this pastor was DEEPLY touched...love you guys!

Doable Hard vs. Destructable Hard

THIS is a great principle...the difference between what is Doable Hard and Destructable Hard. Doable Hard is times in ministry when thing are difficult...there are tough challenges, but the challenges excite you...they make you want to take them on! Destructable Hard are the times in ministry when the challenges just tear you down...they don't just drain your energy, but leave your tank empty...they leave you UGH! (BTW...thanks to Bill Hybels for this principle!)

I LOVE THIS...both for myself and our church...The question all of us need to answer when we are struggling through challenges is "is this a Doable Hard?" If so...I CAN PLOW THROUGH!! If NOT...something needs to change, and change quickly!

Yep...that happens

Here you are...ready to make changes in your life...you are set to do what it takes to change something in your life...something that needs to be worked on...you have a plan in place...something inside of you is saying "YOU CAN DO THIS!"

Then you wake up in the morning and IMMEDIATELY you are hit with setbacks...you lock your keys in your car...or you get a call from someone and now your day is just spinning out of control...the next thing you know it is time for bed and you have not done a thing that you planned the night before...

Do you give up? Do you try again the next day? Let's be people that never, NEVER, NEVER give up...that keep trying to improve and change areas of our lives NO MATTER how hard things get. WE CAN DO IT!

The one for me...

God knew it...he just knew it...all the way back in High School...he knew it...back when I was writing down the 11 things that I wanted in my wife someday...he knew it...he knew who the perfect woman for me was...Kelsey Krynock (now Boucher!!)...he was molding both of us to make us ready to meet each other.

Today I read this quote: "You know you're with the right woman when she gives you strength." WOW...POWERFUL AND SOOOOOO TRUE. My real life example came again yesterday...this is going to sound silly to some of you, but it was huge for me...our family was swimming at the pool when Kels looked over at me and said to Luke: "You want to jump in the deep end with daddy and me?" Doesn't sound like much except that I HAVE NEVER JUMPED IN THE DEEP END! My heart was POUNDING...JUST POUNDING...but Kels just gave me the look...the one that says..."Hey Tim, you'll be fine...just jump..." Not condemning...not teasing...just the right look at the right moment...and I did it and many more times after that! IT WAS GREAT! WHY did it finally happen? Because she poured belief into me and gave me the strength to do something I had never done before...

She has done this over and over and over again in my life...I sure love you Kelsey Boucher! Thanks for making that quote true for me... "You know you're with the right woman when she gives you strength."

Stud and Studdette

A month or so ago Chloe started swim team practice...she STRUGGLED the first couple of days and even had to move to a lower age division. She has steadily worked her way back up and is doing well...THEN they had the swim clubs "lap-a-thon" to raise money. Chloe figured she would swim about 20 laps in an hour. (25 yard pool) Instead she swam 78!!!! She NEVER stopped for a straight hour...78 laps! I was soooooooo proud of her...she is sooooo determined! I LOVE her spirit!

3 weeks ago Jaden wouldn't even swim across the pool...from side to side..."I just can't do it dad." Is what I kept hearing...we went on vacation and he swam like a crazy man...He had his swim lesson on Saturday (yep on the 4th of July!) and THEN YESTERDAY he swam 21 laps in a row! 21 laps...that is 5 FOOTBALL FIELDS! IT WAS AWESOME!

I can't forget Luke...he is toooooooooo funny...he deal a couple of weeks ago was shouting "help me, help me!!" while swimming...NOW he is jumping in the deep end (with floaties) like crazy!

I love the determination of my kids...they challenge me to pull the best out of myself every day!

One of the most important jobs in the world...

Tonight I was putting Jaden to bed...one of the last things he told me was "I miss Mrs. Veldman." She was his kindergarten teacher and she made a HUGE impact on his life this past school year. We weren't talking about school when he said this...we had just finished singing and praying (our nightly routine!) and he said that...Teachers have one of the MOST important jobs in the world...They are helping to shape the leaders of tomorrow...they have MAJOR influence in my children's lives...and you know what? He wanted to learn and perform for Mrs. Veldman this year because she SHOWED him that she believed in him...she SHOWED him that she cared about him...

Shaq is in town...

I was in Ohio when all of this went down, BUT I cannot express to you how excited I am to have Shaq in Cleveland! I LOVE his new motto..."Win a ring for the King!" NICE! (For you non-NBA fans...the King is King James and NOT the King James Bible, but LeBron James!)

DO IT SHAQ...DO IT!!!!

Making Decisions...

What do you do when you have to make major life decisions? Who is included in the discussion? Do you let someone tell you what to do? Do you copy someone else? What filter do you use?
I believe that too many people and too many leaders make decisions without the input of others. God wants to use HIS people to help each other with the tough decisions of life.

Here is the grid I use...

If it is a personal decision:
Seek the heart of God
Discuss it with my wife, close friends and mentors
Seek the heart of God in HIS leading from their input
Step out in faith with the best decision for the moment

If it is church related:
Seek the heart of God
Talk through it with our staff
Talk through things with leaders/mentors outside of our church (fresh perspective)
Seek out other churches that have wrestled with the same issue and learn from them
Depending on the type of decision I wrestle through it with my wife (GREAT perspective!)
Seek the heart of God as I wade through the input given
Step out in faith with the way God is leading

I love watching how God takes me from a point of not knowing which way to turn...then after A LOT of begging and pleading through prayer and the input of others, how he makes the path clear. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE TO HELP YOU MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS POSSIBLE!